DAY TRIP TO DURHAM ! ! !

DAY TRIP TO DURHAM!!!

Went there with my friends during Spring Break. Had loads of fun over there, sight seeing, having brunch/ lunch/ tea time snack... whatever it is (:P)

When we reached, we were greeted with flowers blooming everywhere, so instinctively, I took a pic of this pretty pink flower tree (reminding me of sakura) in front of the train station.

Pretty in Pink

Welcome to DURHAM!! 

nothing much but scenic view.

pretty flowers along the bridge, and entertainment too!

going under the bridge

ducks everywhere

the cafes' in Durham going al fresco.

had tea time at The Treats Shop

Monument

around the monument

engraved tiles on the ground

clear shot of the monument

cobblestone street leading up to Durham Cathedral

Durham Castle

Durham Cathedral

Entrance to Castle

this building reminds me of Mr. Beans flat, hehe

Cathedral up-close

Unfortunately, inside the cathedral, pictures were not allowed to be taken. So.. inside was AMAZING!!!! was huge and it's just MAGNIFICENT!!!!! 

When I entered, it felt like I was inside Westminster Abbey for the Royal Wedding. It was exactly the same, except it's not actual Westminster Abbey and smaller in size compared to Westminster Abbey. Hehe

p.s. there's also a huge organ!!! like the ones we saw in Beauty & The Beast, Beast's mansion. the Organ was huge, like from the ground to ceiling huge!

After what feels like hours inside the cathedral, we went out and saw this square. It's very beautiful inside even though there were no flowers, but the green grass and the old building structure just compliments each other very well. There was building maintenance going on that time. 

When I was walking along the corridor, it felt like back in time. Awesome!!

from the corridor

the 'square'

even on the ceiling, there were plate symbols

'Selfie' in the Square

Jump shot

After we went out of the cathedral from the back door, we saw more picturesque views.

Some was just pretty walls to be our background for our solo shot/ ootd shot. Haha

Right view from cathedral exit

and we're going to the left

Laugh Training

Cathedral from behind

Colourful walls

That's the Durham Castle aka student accommodation!!

Durham is a very picturesque place to be. Every single shot will be taken with every corner you look to in Durham.

THANK YOU DURHAM for giving me beautiful memories to keep with me forever!!! 

Love, 

Vi-Vien

MEETING UP AND DINE WITH COUSIN !!

Meeting up with my cousin brother was amazing! He brought me to places to shop and dine and also tells me a lot about Newcastle.
First stop was Mamak Corner, a Malaysian restaurant located in Chinatown.
Its is run by Malaysian owners serving local Malaysian delicacies such as Nasi Lemak, Hokkien Mee, Laksa, so on and so forth... :)
My cousin recommended me their Nasi Lemak, and boy it was AMAZING!!! And he ordered and additional Braised Pork Intestines!! Yumm yumm!!! :D

Nasi Lemak , comes with juicy fried chicken (best fried chicken so far)
GBP 8.00

Braised pork Intestines, juicy and succulent intestines!!
GBP 5.50

The second place he brought me to was Ikea, Gateshead. Well, Ikea is Ikea, not much difference with Ikeas in Malaysia. But of course, we went for the Swedish Meatballs.

Swedish Meatballs for GBP 4.80 (regular)

KAVALKAD Frying pan set of 2 GBP 4.75
BEVARA seal clips (30s) GBP 1.50

FÄRGRIK green plates (2x) GBP 1.00

SAMLA box GBP 1.00

BUMERANG hangers (8s) GBP 4.00
HÄREN  bath towel GBP 2.00HÄREN   washcloth (4s)  GBP 1.10

By the time we finish shopping in Ikea, we are on our way back from Gateshead to Newcastle. My cousin did make a reservation at Jamie's Italian for dinner.
Next stop, Jamie's Italian...

Berry Blast GBP 3.50, full of berry flavours!! nice!!

Wild Mushroom Bruschetta GBP 5.75, differnt types of wild mushrooms makes it much tastier!!!
love it!

Lobster Al Forno GBP 23.95 , Best Lobster I've had!!! The flesh just lifts up from the shell without any hassle.
Good!

Lamb Chops Scottaditta GBP 17.95, cousin ordered this and it's served on a plank.
and he got dumbfounded on how to eat from a plank. haha!!
Awesome lamb chops btw!! :)

Complete dinner with desserts and White Wine to accompany my Lobster!

Chocolate and Hazelnut Arctic Roll GBP 5.45
Great for Chocolate lovers!

The next diner was American Diner, Coast to Coast. Well, I did tell my cousin that I wanted to have Newcastle's own local food. All he did say was Fish and Chips. And at last, we saw the C2C served Fish and Chips, so we went in for dinner.

Boston Prawns GBP 7.95, prawns were fried to perfection. It was succulent and juicy and fresh!!
Good one!!

Good Old Fish & Chips GBP 12.55. Crispy battered cod!!

Sweet Potato Fries GBP 4.45. Sweet fries... not bad! 

Overall, meeting with my cousin brother was fun and nice, as he brings me around and take care of me. And also helps me with uni stuff during the first few weeks of uni.

Thank you, cousin brother!! And aunty and uncle!!! Also, cousin bro's friends!!
Thank you!!!
:D

Love, Vi-Vien

FIRST WEEK IN NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE!!!

WEEK 1 : TOUCHDOWN IN NEWCASTLE

After a long long flight from Penang, Malaysia to Newcastle upon Tyne, I'm finally here!!!!

Going through the airport was not much of a hassle but just a very long queue.

While waiting in line to pass through immigration, it snowed!! YES! SNOW!!

Not once but three times!!!! 3x!!!

The third one it snowed for quite a long time compared to the first two times. Didn't get much pictures as the snow was very fine.

BUT, two days ago (Tuesday, 13th Jan '15),  it snowed again. And boy, this was like the snow everyone imagined how it would looks and feels like. And it lasted for a much longer time (about 15 minutes? don't know :D )

Its FREEZING!!!

Its snow!! Ice!!! (btw its tasteless)

Short video showing that its SNOWING!!

Let's not get carried away with the Snow...
Okay... back to business.
The next day upon arrival, we went to walk around city centre with the help of our friends here in Newcastle.
That includes the famous Millenium Bridge, Grainger Market, well... everywhere!!

Millenium Bridge

Tyne Bridge

Quayside, Sunday Market

Chinatown Arch

Candid of me with Tyne Bridge

Wanna smile but it's just too cold!

Inside Grainger Market

Fresh produce

Fruits at a very cheap price!!

Well, that's all for now.
Definitely more to come!!!
Stay tuned for more!!

Love, 

ViVien

Thermomix Pumpkin Cheesecake

My first cheesecake!!

So basically I found the recipe on Pinterest, <here>.

Well i change a bit from the original recipe, as you can see, in the recipe there is crust, mine is crust-less. And also in this recipe, no flours were used and its a baked cheesecake.

This recipe is converted by my mom. ^^

Let's get straight to the point of me giving you the recipe...

Ingredients

375 g  cream cheese

250 g  steamed pumpkin

40 g    sugar
5 ml    vanilla essence

5 g      cinnamon spice

3         eggs

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. The cream cheese should be at room temperature before you begin mixing, or you'll end up with lumps in your cheesecake. 
3. Combine the softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla in TM Jar for 4mins, speed4.
4. Add in steamed pumpkin, 3 eggs and cinnamon spice to blend for 1.5mins, speed4.
5. Layer the springform pan with baking sheets to prevent cheesecake sticking onto bottom.
6. Pour mixture into 8-inch springform pan.
7. Baked in water bath for 60 minutes at 150 degrees C.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature.
9. When cheesecake has come to room temperature, put into refrigerator.
10. When the cheesecake is chilled, release the springform and it is ready to serve.

For the Steamed Pumpkin,

1. Pumpkin is cut into small sizes and placed into TM Jar in simmering basket with 800ml of water for 15mins, speed2, Varoma.
2. Remove from TM Jar and let it cool aside.

Tips for water bath, (either)

1. Place water in another tray and slid in one level below the springform. 
2. Wrap a layer of aluminium foil around the springform to prevent water from sipping into it. Then place the springform into a larger tray with water.

Overall, I think I did a good job. I never expected myself to be making cheesecake and it taste good too!!! With this done, there will be more to come as I would love to try more new recipes!!!

So tell me, what new recipes should I try next!!!

Love,

Vi-Vien

I FELT I N V I S I B L E

I FELT  I N V I S I B L E

Ya, indeed I do... (ooh ya, this is going to be a long and boring post about me with invisibility issues, be warn!)

I'm sure some of you people may have felt this way before, but I can assure you that I'm dealing with this shit feels every single day throughout my whole secondary years of schooling. Yup, since the tender age of 13 years old until now, 20 years old. 

How I survived till now without the thoughts of taking my own life or whatever shit you can think of, I'm not down to that kind of dumb moves (sorry), I faced reality by having positive thoughts and that I have my family to back me up against the real world, where everyone is a critic.

We live in a world where everyone is the judge judging you and your every moves, and it matters to them, like it bothers them even when you're not even close to them. They just judge!!!

Back to the whole point of being and feeling invisible, its just disappointing to know that the people you know and cared for were the ones who make you feel even more invisible, like you did not exist.

Yes, they knew you were there the whole time, is just that whatever they're talking/discussing about, they does not include you into the conversation, and yet at the same time, make you feel like they're your best friend in the whole wide world.

In reality, you're just another person to add into their book of people they know and made friends with.

Like I've said before, I'm facing this with an open heart and with tonnes of positive thoughts that

I CAN DO THIS!!! :D

Most of the time, well almost everyday every night before I go to bed, I would look at myself in the mirror/reflection to just say whatever is on my mind. Everything ranging from various thoughts of this and that, that happens in school, colleges, peer pressure, friends, dilemmas and almost everything. 

"I would just say it all out, just so that I won't eventually blow up in front of anyone and made a fool of myself." 

And when I said almost everything, it meant EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO ME on that particular day, and I would talk non-stop until I'm tired and sleepy, then I'll go to bed.

P.S. All I've said is all my own opinion, different people have different situations and different ways of facing it. 

Thanks for hearing me out,

ViVien XOXO

P.S.S. YOU CAN DO IT!! <3

INFINITY AND BEYOND

TODAY...

In the morning, I went to school for revision with a group of my friends. Later on, we had class.

During class, a friend of my invited me to his girlfriend's house for a dip in the pool of u can opt for the gym, then go on a study group discussion. I'm having doubt about wanting to go or not, as i knew they weren't gonna study first then pool last or vice versa. So, eventually I went as I needed that study/revision vibe as my midterms are coming soon.

During the dip in the pool, it turns out, everyone did not even prepare the revision materials but instead, they've prepared swimwear and loads of other stuff you're needed when you hit the pool. I was contemplating within myself as should i go into the water or not, as i thought it would only be a dip in the pool. Most of my friends jumped into the pool in the end as everyone was in, I resisted as first.

But to think of it, it didn't seems like they would jump right out of the pool that instant to study, plus they were all having a blast in the water. So, I thought to myself,

"hey, why not? since, its gonna be till night falls... soo, what the heck!! let's go!!!"

Once, I've jumped in, the water is warm which is nice and relaxing. And to my surprise, I don't think the pool contains chlorine, as the smell of the water is different to other pools but similar smell to a seawater. So, I'm guessing the pool is giving an impression like swimming in the ocean in the comfort of your own house.

It was a really great time and I did not regret jumping into the pool!!! love to visit the pool another time

Love ViVien xx 

I LOVE ICE CREAM

Last weekend, me and my family went to AEON Bukit Mertajam, which is located in mainland, Penang. We went there for the fun of it as it was a newly reopened mall  in the mainland and its huge and spacious!

There were a lot of new outlets opening and also opening soon, which is good. Erm...me and my family were walking around and I stumbled upon an ice cream outlet which I've always wanted to go in and buy a scoop or so. then I told my dad that I want that ice cream, and to my surprise, my dad said "YES"!!! yayy!!

*okay, I sounded like a three year old girl asking for ice cream...weird when i write it out*

Back to the story, what made me so excited was that the Ice Cream outlet is indeed BASKIN-ROBBINS
 (BR). I was practically brought up with Baskin Robin and not any other type of ice cream ever since I was young. So, that whole excitement was understandable.

My favourite flavours of ice cream is definitely the Mint Chocolate Chip!!!! I grew up with this and loved this ever since I knew how to enjoy ice cream. The best part of the trip to AEON was that the mint chocolate chip ice cream did not changed its flavour at all. The flavour was absolutely the same all the while and not only to the BR outlets in Penang islands and also in the mainland. Plus, it reminded me my childhood.

I ordered the Double Regular scoop in cup with flavours of Mint Chocolate Chip and The Trio De Janeiro. The latter was a new flavour in the theme of the FIFA world cup season in Brazil. The trio de janeiro was of three flavours which is the lemon, kiwi and blueberry. There was a hint of sourness from the lemon and a tad sour from the kiwi. Well, the ice cream is of three colours, yellow from the lemon, lime green from the kiwi and light blue from the blueberry. Overall, the trio de janeiro was very refreshing and when have it with mint chocolate chip is just divine!! Both compliments each other as the latter is sweet and the former was sour, so sweet and sour is just a perfect match!

The bottom scoop is Trio De Janeiro and
the top scoop is Mint Chocolate Chip

P.S. the flavours described above was 100% in my opinion. Everyone's choice may beg to differ, but as of me, I LOVE BASKIN-ROBBINS!!